Vehicle-spring.



Patented" Nov. 25,1902;-

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E. F. enwmlm4 VEHICLE SPRING.

[Application led. Nov` 4, 1899.)

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( Nn Model.)

STATES rricn.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of 'Letters Patent No. 714,574, dated November 25, 1902.

Application filed November 4, 1899. Serial No. 735,783. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.:

Beit known that I, EDWARD F. GEHMAN, a

V citizen of the United States, residing at Read- My invention relates to vehicle-springs, and

l more particularly to springs for side-bar buggies.

The primary object of the invention is to provide improved side-bar springs that will insure easy riding and will be equally adapted for buggies of any width.

A characteristic feature of the invention is that the springs are attached directly to the` side-bars at the back and front by suitable hangers and are curved inward and at the same time arched upward for attachment to the body of the buggy.

The construction'of theinvention will be fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and its novel features will be defined in the appended claim.

In the drawings, Figure l is a bottom plan view of a buggy-body with my improved springs applied thereto, and Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the same.

The reference-numerals 1 and 2 designate the side-bars of the buggy, connected at front y and rear by bolsters 3 and 4. The side-bars 1 2 are curved or bowed from their ends toward their middle, as shown in Fig. 2, to increase their supporting power and resiliency. Depending from the side-bars, near the bolsters, are hangers 5, to which are secured the ends of the bottom leaf 6 of the springs 7. Each of these springs consists of a plurality of layers or leaves of varying length, the lower or longest leaf being the most resilient and the strength or stiness of each leaf varying with itsilength, the topmost leaf being the stiffest. The springs are bent or curved upwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, and at their centers they are bent inward orcurved, as shown in Fig. 1, away from the vertical plane of the side-bars and secured to side blocks or bolsters 8, depending from the bottom of the buggy and secured thereto by bolts 9.

It will be perceived that by the intervention of the bolster S between the body-frame 'of the vehicle and the bow of the springs the springs at their highest point are secured to a substantial holding-piece, so that they are not liable to displacement or seriously adocted by the torsional strain.

By my construction the springs are secured immediately beneath the center of the vehicle-body or under the seat, where the greatest weight is encountered, and the jerky motion incident to the use of lshort springs for connecting the vehicle-body to the side-bars is avoided. Again, I avoid the employment of heavy bars for attaching the springs to the body and provide side springs which are equally adapted for use with either wide or narrow bodies.

I claim- The combination with a vehicle having up'- wardly-curved side-bars with depending bolsters at each endthereof, and hangers secured diametrically opposite each other in rear of the bolsters, the upwardly-curved continuous leaf-springs extending longitudinally with the side-bars and having their opposite terminal ends secured to the hangers,"and said continuous leaf-springs being bent inwardly at their central portions, of the body having intermediate bolstersat its central portion, and securing-bolts passing through said body, its bolsters, and the inwardly-bent portions of the leaf-sprin gs thereby securingsaid parts together, whereby to elevate the body above the side-bars so as to permit of a vertical movement of said body between the side-bars, substantially as described. i

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD i n. GEHMAN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM W. WntrnnRnoLD,` JOSHUA VAN REED, Jr. 

